35 God's Power In Your Weakness

 

 

 

PURPOSE # 4

 

 

You Were Shaped For Serving God

 

 

We are simply God's servants.... Each one of

us does the work which the Lord gave him to do:

I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant,

but it was God who made the plant grow.

1 Corinthians 3:5-6 

 

 

35 God's Power In Your Weakness

 

 

We are weak... yet by God's power we will

live with him to serve you.

2 Corinthians 13:4

 

I am with you; that is all you need. My power

shows up best in weak people.

2 Corinthians 12:9a

 

 

God loves to use weak people.

Everyone has weaknesses.

In fact, you have a bundle of flaws and imperfections:

physical, emotional, intellectural, and spiritual.

You may also have uncontrollable circumstances that weaken you,

such as financial or relational limitations.

The more important issue is what you do with these.

Usually we deny our weaknesses, defend them,

excuse them, hide them, and resent them.

This prevents God from using them the way he desires.

 

God has a different perspective on your weaknesses.

He says, "My thoughts and my ways are higher than yours,"

Isaiah 55:9

so he often acts in ways that are the exact opposite of what we expect.

"God purposely chose...

what the world considers weak

in order to shame the powerful."

1 Corinthians 1:27

 

In fact, he is drawn to people who are weak and admit it.

Jesus regarded this recognition of our need as being "poor in spirit."

It's the number one attitude he blesses.

Matthew 5:3

If God only used perfect people,

nothing would ever get done.

 

A weakness, or "thorn" as Paul called it,

2 Corinthians 12:7

is not a sin or a vice or a character defect that you can change,

such as overeating or impatience.

A weakness is any limitation

that you inherited or have no power to change.

"We are like clay jars

 in which this treasure is stored.

The real power comes from God

and not from us."

2 Corinthians 4:7

For that to happen, we must follow the model of Paul.

 

Admit your weaknesses.

Own up to your imperfections.

Stop pretending to have it all together, and be honest about yourself.

Two great confessions in the New Testament illustrate

what we need for healthy living.

The first was Peter's, who said to Jesus,

"You are the Christ,

the Son of the living God."

Matthew 16:16

The second confession was Paul's, who said to an idolizing crowd,

"We are only human beings like you."

Acts 14;15

If you want God to use you,

you must know who God is and know who you are.

 

Be content with your weaknesses.

Paul said,

"I am glad to boast about my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ may work through me.

Since I know it is all for Christ's good,

I am quite content with my weaknesses."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10a

 

Paul gives us several reasons

to be content with our inborn weaknesses.

First, they cause us to depend on God.

"I am quite happy about 'the thorn,'...

for when I am weak,

then I am strong—the less I have,

the more I depend on him."

2 Corinthians 12:10

 

Our weaknesses also prevent arrogance.

They keep us humble.

"So I wouldn't get a big head,

I was given the gift of a handicap

to keep me in constant touch

with my limitations."

2 Corinthians 12;7

 

Our weaknesses also encourge fellowship between believers.

While strength breeds an independent spirit ("I don't need anyone else"),

our limitations show how much we need each other.

Vance Havner quipped,

"Christians, like snowflakes, are frail,

but when they stick together they can stop traffic."

 

Most of all, our weaknesses increase our capacity for sympathy and ministry.

God wants you to have a Christlike ministry on earth.

That means other people are going to find healing in your wounds.

Your greatest life messages and

Your most effective ministry

will come out of your deepest hurts.

The great missionary Hudson Taylor said,

"All God's giants were weak people."

 

Moses' weakness was his temper.

Yet God transformed Moses into

"the humblest man on earth."

Numbers 12:3

Gideon's weakness was low self-esteem and deep insecurities,

but God transformed him into a

"mighty man of valor."

Judges 6:12

Abraham's weakness was fear.

But God transformed Abraham into

 "the father of those who have faith."

Romans 4:11

Impulsive, weak-willed Peter became

 "a rock."

Matthew 16;18

The adulterer David became

"a man after my own heart,"

Acts 13:22

and John, one of the arrogant "Sons of Thunder,"

became the "Apostle of Love."

 

"It would take too long to recount

the stories of the faith of...

Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samul,

and all the prophets...

their weakness was turned to strength."

Hebrews 11:32-34

God specializes in turning weaknesses into strengths.

He wants to take your greatest weakness and transform it.

 

Honestly share your weaknesses.

Ministry begins with vulnerability.

The more you let down your guard,

take off your mask, and share your struggles,

the more God will be able to use you in serving others.

Paul modeled vulnerability in all his letters.

He openly shared

 

 His failures: "When I want to do good, I don't,       

and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway."
Romans 7:19

 His feelings: "I have told you all my feelings."        

2 corinthians 6:11

 His frustrations: "We were crushed and completely over-whelmed,

and we throught we would never live through it."

2 Corinthians 1:8

 His fears: "When I came to you, I was weak and    

fearful and trembling."

1 Corinthians 2:3

 

Of course, vulnerability is risky.

It can be scary to lower your defenses and open up your life to others.

When you reveal your failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears,

you risk rejection.

But the benefits are worth the risk.

Vulnerability is emotionally liberating.

Opening up relieves stress, defuses your fears,

and is the first step to freedom.

 

We have already seen that God "gives grace to the humble,"

but many misunderstand humility.

Humility is not putting yourself down or denying your strengths;

rather, it is being honest about your weaknesses.

The more honest you are, the more of God's grace you get.

You will also receive grace from others.

Vulnerability is an endearing quality;

we are naturally drawn to humble people.

Pretentiousness repels but authenticity attracts,

and vulnerability is the pathway to intimacy.

 

At some point in your life you must decide

whether you want to impress people or influence people.

The most essential quality for leadership is not perfection,

but credibility.

People must be able to trust you or they won't follow you.

How do you build credibility?

Not by pretending to be perfect, but by being honest.

 

Glory in your weaknesses.

"I am going to boast

only about how weak I am

and how great God is

to use such weakness for his glory."

2 corinthians 12:5b

Instead of posing as self-confident and invincible,

see yourself as a trophy of grace.

When Satan points out your weaknesses,

agree with him and fill your heart with praise for Jesus,

who "understands every weakness of ours,"

Hebrews 4:1a

and for the Holy Spirit, who "helps us in our weakness."

romans 8:26a

 

Sometimes, however, God turns a strength into a weakness

in order to use us even more.

God touched Jacob's strength

 (the thigh muscle is the strongest in the body)

and turned it into a weakness.

It forced him to lean on God whether he liked it or not.

If you want God to bless you and use you greatly,

you must be willing to walk with a limp the rest of your life,

because God uses weak people.

 

 

 

 

DAY THIRTY-FIVE

Thinking About My Purpose

 

 Point to Ponder: God works best when I admit my weakness.

 

Verse to Remember: "My grace is sufficient for you,

my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12;9a

 

Question to Consider: Am I limiting God's power in my life

by trying to hide my weakness?

What do I need to be honest about

in order to help others?

 

 

 

p 272~278

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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